Events
Visitors are welcome to step back into history and experience eighty acres of stately trees and statuary in the beautiful blend of nature and art that is Elmwood Cemetery.
Please come by the Victorian Carpenter Gothic Cottage which serves as our Visitor Center for maps, audio tours, picnic tables and handicap accessible restrooms. Research assistance is also available in the cottage, and security is on the grounds during business hours.
There is no charge to visit Elmwood. Tickets purchased for any of the events below are not refundable.
SPECIAL COSTUME TWILIGHT TOUR: The Veterans of Elmwood
Each fall, the Elmwood Players bring you an amazing tour where visitors meet costumed actors who portray the individuals who rest at Elmwood. This year, the Elmwood Players are proud to present a special costume tour in May called, "The Veterans of Elmwood".
During this tour, you will meet eight costumed actors as you walk through the cemetery grounds. Each of them will tell the story of their service to the United States and how it changed their lives. From the American Revolution to World War II, you'll meet men and women who sacrificed for the freedoms we enjoy today.
Tours will begin at 5 PM, and again every ten minutes until 7 PM. A limited number of tickets are available for this tour! Purchase your tickets early so you will not miss this moving tribute to the soldiers who are buried at Elmwood.
Admission to this tour is $15 per adult. Kids 12 and under are free.
Mobility-impaired visitors are encouraged to call ahead and speak with Jody Schmidt or Kimberly McCollum regarding the tour route.
Elmwood & The Civil War
When Elmwood cemetery was founded in 1852, the original proprietors set aside eight acres of land for the interment of veterans who died in the line of fire. They had no idea that, less than a decade later, the United States would be torn apart by great internal conflict, and that Elmwood's services would be needed immediately.
Civil War Historian and Elmwood volunteer Donald Harrison will lead three tours of Civil War history as it is found at Elmwood. There are 19 Confederate Generals, 2 Union Generals, and over 1,000 veterans from both sides resting at Elmwood. Some of their stories will be told on May 26th.
This is an all-walking tour that will last 2 hours. The cost is $15 per person. This tour is Part 1 of a 3-part series; the next two tours will be held on June 16th and June 23rd (you can register for those tours separately on this website if you would like to attend).
This tour starts at 10:30 AM.
For more information, call 774-3212.
The Moving Appeal
The Commerical Appeal was very nearly closed down during the Civil War. Somehow, Elmwood resident John Reid McLanahan was able to continue printing the paper without being captured...but by whom? And why?
Join Elmwood volunteer Jimmy Ogle for this fascinating Lunch & Lecture Presentation that will uncover the history of the local paper and the man who saved it from ruin.
Registration is required. Starts at noon! Admission is $7 per person. Please, bring your lunch! Soft drinks, bottled water, and cookies will be provided.
For more information, call 901-774-3212.
Elmwood & The Civil War
When Elmwood cemetery was founded in 1852, the original proprietors set aside eight acres of land for the interment of veterans who died in the line of fire. They had no idea that, less than a decade later, the United States would be torn apart by great internal conflict, and that Elmwood's services would be needed immediately.
Civil War Historian and Elmwood volunteer Donald Harrison will lead three tours of Civil War history as it is found at Elmwood. There are 19 Confederate Generals, 2 Union Generals, and over 1,000 veterans from both sides resting at Elmwood.
This is an all-walking tour that will last 2 hours. The cost is $15 per person. This tour is Part 2 of a 3-part series; the next tour will be held on June 23rd (you can register for that tour separately on this website if you would like to attend).
This tour begins at 10:30 AM.
For more information, call 774-3212.
Read In Peace
Join staff Historian Jorja Frasier and Visitor & Volunteer Coordinator Cookie Swain for the next meeting of the Read In Peace Book Club on Wednesday, June 20, 2012 at 10 - 11:30 AM.
The book being highlighted is, "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by local author Rebecca Skloot, which tells the story of Henrietta Lacks, a poor African American migrant from the tobacco farms of Virginia, who died from a cruelly aggressive cancer at the age of 30 in 1951. A sample of her cancerous tissue, taken without her knowledge or consent, as was the custom then, turned out to provide one of the holy grails of mid-century biology: human cells that could survive--even thrive--in the lab. Known as HeLa cells, their stunning potency gave scientists a building block for countless breakthroughs, beginning with the cure for polio. Meanwhile, Henrietta's family continued to live in poverty and frequently poor health, and their discovery decades later of her unknowing contribution--and her cells' strange survival--left them full of pride, anger, and suspicion
The Read In Peace book Club is free to all. Please let us know you'll be joining us by emailing Cookie Swain at cookie [at] elmwoodcemetery [dot] org.
Evening Stroll: The Civil War
This tour is specially designed for Civil War history enthusiasts. Join four costumed tour guides as they lead you through the cemetery grounds during an evening stroll. This tour will focus on the Confederate and Union veterans buried at Elmwood!
Bring your flashlight and be prepared to step back in time...to 1865.
This tour is all-walking and lasts 90 minutes. The cost is $20/person. Registration is required. Call 774-3212 for more information.
This tour starts at 6 PM.
This tour is for mature audiences, and only those over 18 will be permitted.
Elmwood & The Civil War
When Elmwood cemetery was founded in 1852, the original proprietors set aside eight acres of land for the interment of veterans who died in the line of fire. They had no idea that, less than a decade later, the United States would be torn apart by great internal conflict, and that Elmwood's services would be needed immediately.
Civil War Historian and Elmwood volunteer Donald Harrison will lead three tours of Civil War history as it is found at Elmwood. There are 19 Confederate Generals, 2 Union Generals, and over 1,000 veterans from both sides resting at Elmwood. This tour is the last of a 3-part series.
This is an all-walking tour that will last 2 hours. The cost is $15 per person. Starts at 10:30 AM!
For more information, call 774-3212.
Elmwood 101
Elmwood Cemetery was founded in 1852 as a "park for the living and a resting place for the dead." Winding carriage paths, a canopy of 1,500 trees, and Victorian-age monuments are all featured during this 90 minute walking tour. The history of Memphis is found at Elmwood!
We recommend that you bring a camera and wear your best walking shoes. Registration is available for $15 per person. This tour begins at 10:30 AM. For more information, call 901-774-3212.
Evening Stroll: Elmwood 101
Join us for a twilight walking tour through the grounds of the cemetery. This tour begins at 6:00 p.m. and lasts approximately 90 minutes. Admission is $20 per person and advance registration is required. Evening strolls through Elmwood are offered only during warmer months. Elmwood's Evening Strolls quickly sell out! Early reservations are suggested.
Bring your flashlight!
Read In Peace
Join staff Historian Jorja Frasier and Visitor & Volunteer Coordinator Cookie Swain for the next meeting of the Read In Peace Book Club on Wednesday, July 18, 2012 at 10 - 11:30 AM.
The book being highlighted is titled "The Restorer" by Amanda Stevens. This is the first book in the Graveyard Queen series featuring Amelia Gray, a cemetery restorer who sees ghosts. When a young woman's body is found in a Charleston graveyard she is hired to restore, Amelia must interpret the headstone symbolism to find clues to the killer and his next victim.
The Read in Peace Book Club is free to all. Please let us know you'll be joining us by emailing Cookie Swain at cookie [at] elmwoodcemetery [dot] org.